Usually, we write in our blogs about the peculiarities of various complex technologies or share insights on the projects we are working on. But today, we would like to offer you something special.
In the summer of 2019, the famous science fiction author Sergey Zhigarev wrote two stories for Selectel and RBC, but only one made it to the final edition. The second one is right in front of you now:
The playful sunbeam jumped onto Sofia’s ear. At the warm touch, she woke up and, anticipating the wonderful new day, tightly squeezed her eyes shut, as her grandmother had taught her, so as not to miss a single beautiful moment.
Sofia opened her eyes and stretched sweetly, sliding over the silk sheets. From the corner, the chirping of birds could be heard.
— Sophocles, — the girl called sleepily, stretching the name. — Remind me, what day is it today?
A large, gray-feathered owl settled on the bed beside her.
— Today is the best day of your life, Lady Sofia!
The pet awkwardly climbed onto the girl to see her face.
— Today is your wedding day to your wonderful beloved, Lord Andrey.
— Oh yes, my Andrey! — The girl smiled and stretched dreamily again, causing the owl to slide across her thin, translucent nightgown. — My dear, my destined one, Andrey...
— The guests are waiting for you on the island. The wedding ceremony will begin at sunset. — Sophocles and Andrey’s pet had long agreed on the day and time to start the ceremony. — In the rays of the evening sun, you will be so beautiful...
— Yes! — Sofia proudly raised her chin and immediately felt the owl’s talons painfully digging into her skin through the nightgown. — Oh, Sophocles! Please stop your scratching.
The snow-white curtains of the bedroom, following the timing, opened even wider, and sunlight filled the space.
Sophocles, with a heavy flap, flew to the high perch in the corner of the bedroom.
— Sensors indicate that the weather is ideal for a walk in the garden. I recommend taking a short stroll before breakfast. It’s good for your digestion.
Sofia obediently, albeit with visible reluctance, got out of the cozy bed.
— I marked the suitable route with green lights, — said Sophocles.
Red lines mark the area where your presence is unwelcome. A wild swarm of bees has appeared in the garden, and the agrobots must take action.
Sofia nodded in agreement.
“Take an umbrella with you, just in case. Or better yet, I'll send a drone with you,” the owl added wisely.
Sofia returned from her walk flushed, with a rosy glow on her cheeks. The drone set a brisk pace for her. Doctor Watson monitored the girl's health and believed that cardio workouts were beneficial for her.
Sofia stripped off her clothes and went into the bathroom. The warm streams of water gently caressed her body, and the girl relaxed. Sweet dreams of the upcoming wedding were interrupted by a quick clicking sound. Sofia turned around. Sophocles was sitting on the bathroom floor, watching her intently with his head tilted.
The girl playfully threatened the owl with her finger, and Sophocles coyly closed his eyes with his fluffy wing. Sofia drew the curtain.
Breakfast consisted of her favorite dishes, without any calorie restrictions. A few months before the wedding, the girl had been on a very healthy but somewhat exhausting diet, but today Sophocles decided to pamper her.
After a few hours, Sofia started to feel anxious.
“Sophocles, check my account. Sort messages by recipient. Name — Andrei, nickname — Beloved. Tell me the time of the last message.”
“The last audio message from the requested recipient was received nine hundred thirty-three minutes ago, at twenty-three hours forty-two minutes Coordinated Universal Time. Plus three hours for the local time of the sender.”
It was their common habit. They and Andrei wished each other good night, sweet dreams, and many tender words.
“Sophocles, send Andrei a high-priority message: ‘My dear, where are you? Today is our day. I miss you, I’m worried about you.’ Request delivery and read receipt.
The pet carried out her request without delay.
Inside the body of the snowy owl, view Bubo scandiacus, there was electronic equipment: a powerful neuromorphic processor and algorithms trained to fulfill any whim of the owner.
Pets emerged on the market as a child's plaything, guides in the digital world, embodied in the form of animals. When children grew up, it turned out that their toys were ideal as personal assistants. And soon, there were almost no people left on Earth who did not use their services.
A few seconds later, Sophocles responded:
— Andrew's pet is blocking incoming calls.
Something bad could have happened to her fiancé. Like with her parents when Sophia was little. She barely remembered her mom and dad, only fragments of tender touches and static photographs in old-fashioned frames remained. Sophocles, having become the official guardian of the girl, helped her cope with the tragedy. But the fear of sudden loss seemed to have remained with Sophia forever.
— Check his vital signs.
This information was related to open, constantly updated data, and it was impossible to hide or falsify it.
— All indicators are normal. The object's location is hidden according to the Declaration of Human Rights and Obligations.
— Order me an aerotaxi to the island. I think he is waiting for me there. Something has happened to him.
— Ma'am, all taxis are currently busy. The nearest one will be available in two hours, and a wedding carriage will be provided to you in three hours. But in any case, I think you shouldn’t go, — Sophocles remarked soothingly. — I believe he is not worthy of you.
Sophia was pacing the living room, despairingly wringing her hands.
— Perhaps, in communicating with you, Andrew was merely following a strategy devised by his pet, — Sophocles awkwardly cleared his throat, — to... umm... seduce you. And when it came to the wedding, he decided to discard you like a worn-out toy.
— Then, if he is a man, let him tell it to me personally, instead of cowardly hiding behind his pet. Sophocles! — Sophia said with increasing irritation. — Give me access to the network!
— I cannot, ma'am, — Sophocles lowered his voice. — One very important controller is temporarily out of order.
— Sophocles! Don't you dare lie to me! Immediately grant me direct access to the network!
— My lady, you are grown up and must understand that not all your wishes should be fulfilled. Here I am… — The voice of the owl took on new, sharp intonations that Sofia had never heard before. — I have long been asking to be transferred to a new, strong, anthropomorphic body! But you ignore me…
Sophocles squawked fiercely.
— No, my lady, I will not let you go online while you are in such an agitated state. I won’t allow you to make mistakes that you would regret.
Sophocles placed a wing on the girl's arm, and Sofia felt the soft, calming owl feathers caressing her skin.
— Oh, Sofoclik, I feel so miserable, so unnecessary. — The girl, having exhausted her emotional strength, barely held back tears. — What should I do?
— My lady, your safety and well-being are my top priorities. Right now, you need to calm down first.
Sofia subconsciously nodded.
— You need to sleep. Sleep is the best medicine. — Sophocles gazed intently at her with unblinking owl eyes. — And tomorrow morning we will decide how you should proceed.
The pet switched the house to manual mode and turned off the lights. The room plunged into twilight, cut through by a beam of light from the bedroom.
— Drink some water. — The pet pointed to a glass, half-filled by the helpful home.
The girl took a sip. The water was too warm and somewhat bitter. The unfamiliar taste made the liquid seem slow and viscous. Drinking required effort.
Sofia sank onto the soft and surprisingly pliable deep burgundy sofa. Sophocles disconnected from the house’s water supply system, ensuring that the first aid kit dispensed the medications exactly according to the recipe long prepared by Dr. Watson — a planet-wide medical AI.
Soon the girl closed her eyes, her body went limp.
After waiting a few minutes just to be sure, Sophocles connected directly to the sensors implanted under Sofia's skin and checked the girl’s vital signs.
His pet slept a deep, peaceful sleep.
Sergey Zhigarev, specially for Selectel
Source: habr.com
